| INTRODUCTION | xi |
| The Simhalese version of the Milinda | xii |
| Buddhaghosa's four references to it. | xiv |
| MSS. and edition of the text | xvi |
| King Milinda the same as Menander | xviii |
| Notices of him in classical writers | xix |
| His coins | xx |
| His birthplace, Kalasi, probably = Karisi | xxiii |
| The author not the same as Nâgârguna | xxv |
| Passages in the Pitakas referred to silently | xxvii |
| Pâli books, &c., referred to by name | xxix |
| Pitaka passages quoted | xxxi |
| Length of the Pitakas | xxxvi |
| Results of these comparisons | xxxviii |
| Differences between our author and the Pitakas | xl |
| Proper names outside the Pitakas | xliii |
| Differences of language between our author and the Pitakas | xlv |
| The Milinda as a work of art | xlviii |
| TRANSLATION OF THE TEXT. | |
| Book I. The Secular Narrative | 1 |
| Description of Sâgala | 2 |
| Previous births of Milinda and Nâgasena | 4 |
| Milinda's greatness and wisdom and love of disputation | 6 |
| Birth story of Nâgasena | 10 |
| His admission as a novice into the Order | 20 |
| His conversion | 25 |
| His attainment of Arahatship | 29 |
| Milinda confutes Âyupâla | 30 |
| Nâgasena arrives; his character | 34 |
| Milinda goes to him | 36 |
| p. viii | |
| Book II. The Distinguishing Characteristics of Ethical Qualities | 40 |
| Individuality and name | 41 |
| The chariot simile | 43 |
| The riddle of seniority | 45 |
| (Interlude) How kings and scholars respectively discuss | 46 |
| No soul in the breath | 48 |
| Aim of Buddhist renunciation | 49 |
| Re-incarnation | 50 |
| Wisdom and reasoning distinguished | 51 |
| 'Virtue's the base' | 53 |
| Faith | 54 |
| Perseverance | 57 |
| Mindfulness | 58 |
| Meditation | 60 |
| Continued identity and re-individualisation | 63-77 |
| Wisdom and intelligence distinguished | 66 |
| Time | 77 |
| Origin and development of qualities | 82 |
| Is there a soul? | 86 |
| Thought and sight | 89 |
| Contact, sensation, and idea | 92 |
| Book III. The Removal of Difficulties | 100 |
| Rich and poor | 100 |
| Renunciation again | 101 |
| Nirvâna and Karma | 106 |
| Difficulties of various kinds as to transmigration, individuality, and the Buddha | 120 |
| Book IV. The Solving of Dilemmas | 137 |
| Milinda finds dilemmas in the Holy Writ | 137 |
| And takes the Buddhist vows | 138 |
| Third meeting between him and Nâgasena. | 140 |
| 1st Dilemma. If the Buddha has really quite passed away, what is the good of paying honour to his relics? | 144 |
| 2nd Dilemma. How can the Buddha be omniscient, when it is said that he reflects? | 154 |
| 3rd Dilemma. Why did he admit Devadatta to the Order, if he knew of the schism he would create? | 162 |
| p. ix | |
| 4th Dilemma. Vessantara's earthquake | 170 |
| 5th Dilemma. King Sivi | 179 |
| 7th Dilemma. Difference in prophecies as to the duration of the faith | 185 |
| 8th Dilemma. The Buddha's sinlessness and his sufferings | 190 |
| 9th Dilemma. Why should the Buddha have meditated? | 196 |
| 10th Dilemma. Why did the Buddha boast? | 198 |
| 11th Dilemma. How could the Buddha revoke regulations he had made? | 202 |
| 12th Dilemma. Why did the Buddha refuse to answer certain questions? | 204 |
| 13th Dilemma. Contradictory statements by the Buddha as to fear | 206 |
| 14th Dilemma. How can Pirit cure disease? | 213 |
| 15th Dilemma. How could the evil one turn people against the Buddha? | 219 |
| 16th Dilemma. Contradiction as to conscious crime | 224 |
| 17th Dilemma. Contradiction as to the Buddha's wish to be the chief | 225 |
| 18th Dilemma. How could a schism have arisen in the Buddha's life? | 227 |
| 19th Dilemma. Why do members of the Order accept reverence? | 232 |
| 20th Dilemma. The evil results of preaching | 234 |
| 22nd Dilemma. Was not the Buddha once angry with Sudinna? | 237 |
| 23rd Dilemma. The tree talking | 241 |
| 24th Dilemma. The Buddha's last meal | 242 |
| 25th Dilemma. Adoration of relics | 246 |
| 26th Dilemma. The splinter of rock | 248 |
| 27th Dilemma. Contradictory description of the Samana | 251 |
| 28th Dilemma. Buddha's boasting | 253 |
| 29th Dilemma. How can the kind punish others? | 254 |
| 30th Dilemma. Was not the Buddha angry at Kâtumâ? | 257 |
| 31st Dilemma. How could Moggallâna have had miraculous powers seeing that he was murdered? | 261 |
| 32nd Dilemma. Why should the rules of the Order be kept secret? | 264 |
| 33rd Dilemma. Contradictions about falsehood | 268 |
| p. x | |
| 34th Dilemma. Did not the Omniscient One once doubt? | 270 |
| 35th Dilemma. Suicide | 273 |
| 36th Dilemma. Love to all beings | 279 |
| 37th Dilemma. Wickedness and prosperity | 283 |
| 38th Dilemma. Women's wiles | 294 |
| 39th Dilemma. Did not the Arahats once show fear? | 297 |
| 40th Dilemma. Did not the Omniscient One once change his mind? | 301 |
| Appendix. Devadatta in the Gâtakas | 303 |
| Addenda et Corrigenda | 305 |
| Index of Proper Names | 307 |
| Index of Subjects | 311 |
| Transliteration of Oriental Alphabets adopted for the Translations of the Sacred Books of the East | 317 |